I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers which can hold two or more substances, yet keeping them separate without them contacting one another, so as to be able to mix them later at preferred time of use. The present invention relates particularly to a more efficient, unique, two-embodiment design that requires fewer, simpler parts that are easily manufactured, low in cost with easily assembled components of a disposable, recyclable, mass-producible container.
II. Discussion of Prior Art
Containers that keep two or more substances separate for later mixing are known to be used in several industries, for example the medical-pharmaceutical industry, where medicine mixtures must be kept unmixed until time of patient use. In this instance, typically there is a powder medicine that needs to be combined with a liquid medicine. A pharmaceutical container of this purpose is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,875 wherein an internally threaded cap drives down a delivery piston that has a cutting edge designed to pierce a medicine reservoir upon twisting the cap. It is a useful device, but as in many of the medical related containers of this type, it has the serious shortcoming of being able to mix only a small payload of powder in proportion to the total mixture solution.
In the chemical industry, this type container system is used often for hardening resins and the like that react rapidly and must be used immediately once they are mixed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,006 discloses such a two component resin container that has a dividing membrane piece separating two resin substances. The membrane may be pierced by an annular cutter that can be both rotated and pushed into a cutting motion through an external rod attached thereto.
Another functional use for a container of this sort is an infant's bottle, as that in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,445 where a powder is loaded into a reusable, nipple assembly and baby bottle that may also have the liquid preloaded into it, thus providing a fresh beverage at the time of mixing.
In the mainstream beverage industry, wherein the present invention is not limited to, but for which it is primarily designed, there have been devised, as well, several containers of this sort. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,996 discloses an externally threaded container portion inside which a capsule is inserted. The double-nested cylinder cap has a moveable cutting element mold-nested inside of the cap, the outside molded sleeve part of which has internal threads that mate with the external threads of the container portion.
While the above container is a compact design, an improvement over prior art, and effective in keeping the substances separate and able to be mixed at later time period, this structure has shortcomings. First, it is a difficult mold process to make the double nested sleeve cap. Second, as in nearly all these systems including those discussed above, the ratio or what normally is a powder substance to a liquid substance is low, since the caps are necessarily small in relation to the liquid reservoir into which the powder is mixed. As to function, it being necessary to take the rather large and bulky cap off of the container portion after activating and mixing both substances to drink the mix is inconvenient because it leaves a sharp cutter exposed, adding to possibility of injuring the user, as well as leaving an open cap dripping with the mixture. These factors add to the possibility of staining surroundings and also the inconvenience of disposal of two substantial container pieces.
It is to be noted that US Patent Publication No. 2005/0016875 A1 is a remarkably similar structure to the '996 patent above, differing only in the fact that the cap portion has an additional opening in the top of the internally threaded screw cap, whereby the opening comprises a detachable plate piece. The advantage over 996 is that the large nested cylinder screw cap does not need to be removed, just the secondary cap, after activation and mixing. However, the drinking orifice then leaves a thick rim edge from which the user is to drink and presents an inconvenience to the user. As well, a detachable cover is not easily put back on and off until the drink is consumed and may not be as leak-proof and secure as a traditional screw cap.
One of many novel features of the present invention is to include a simple screw cap opposite the end of that open end of the first chamber. This unique, additional screw cap feature enables the present cap systems of the above two structures to be transformed into a novel, spacious chamber system that allows almost limitless capacity in ratio of the substances the container can manage mixing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,369 discloses a press pierce chamber system, whereby a small cap plate must be broken to gain access to a push-activated cylinder top portion, having a cutting element on its opposite end, that upon pressing slides down a reservoir chamber, or seal member with a breakable bottom, and the cutting element pierces the bottom seal and releases the substance into a second chamber, that comprises a liquid. This system holds little substance capacity and has a serious risk of leakage, as opposed to the present invention. Additionally, it is more complex to manufacture, as well as more complex to activate from a shelf-ready state. It is cited to be representative of most of the limitations of press-activation patented art at present.
A totally non-threaded press-seal system for the beverage industry, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,200, describes a container by which downward pressure on a cylindrical portion loaded with a mixture then pierces a powder reservoir bottom. Though compact, and effective in mixing its two substances, this structure has the disadvantage of risk of leaking, since the final press seal is fitted only by pressure and not through the reliable screw cap, a typically more trustworthy sealing means. The push portion of the cylinder breaks off during activation and in order to drink the container's contents and it cannot be put back on in a sturdily leak-proof manner, which is an inconvenience with this container, as well.